Vamsi P Guntur1, Laurie A Manka1, Joshua L Denson2, Ryan M Dunn3, Yeshai T Dollin4, Mary Gill1, Christena Kolakowski1, Matthew J Strand5, Michael E Wechsler6. 1. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, National Jewish Health, The NJH Cohen Family Asthma Institute, Denver, Colo. 2. Division of Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care & Environmental Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, La. 3. Department of Medicine, Illinois Lung and Critical Care Institute, OSF Healthcare, Peoria, Ill. 4. Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo. 5. Division of Biostatistics, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colo. 6. Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, National Jewish Health, The NJH Cohen Family Asthma Institute, Denver, Colo. Electronic address: WechslerM@NJHealth.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a vasculitis associated with significant morbidity and mortality that has historically been treated with systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. The IL-5 antagonist mepolizumab was Food and Drug Administration approved in 2017 after demonstrating safety and efficacy in EGPA. We hypothesized that benralizumab, an IL-5 receptor antagonist approved for eosinophilic asthma, would demonstrate safety and efficacy in EGPA. OBJECTIVES: To determine the safety and efficacy of benralizumab in EGPA as measured by reduction in oral corticosteroid dose and EGPA exacerbations. METHODS: We conducted a prospective 40-week open-label pilot study of benralizumab 30 mg administered subcutaneously in 10 patients with EGPA. Adverse events, oral corticosteroid dosing, exacerbations, and lung function were evaluated before, during, and after benralizumab treatment. Paired tests and tests derived from longitudinal models were used to compare outcome variables between phases or visits. RESULTS: Benralizumab was well tolerated and resulted in reduction of median corticosteroid dose from 15 mg at the start to 2 mg at the end of treatment. Geometric mean corticosteroid dose was reduced from 11.6 mg during pretreatment to 6.3 mg during treatment phase. Five patients were able to achieve a dose of 0 mg. Mean annualized exacerbation rate was lowest during the treatment (1.5) compared with the pre- and posttreatment phases (4.6, P = .008 for treatment vs pre- and postphases combined). CONCLUSIONS: Benralizumab was well tolerated, facilitated oral corticosteroid reduction, and reduced exacerbations in EGPA. Larger controlled trials are warranted to further evaluate the role of benralizumab in EGPA.
BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a vasculitis associated with significant morbidity and mortality that has historically been treated with systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. The IL-5 antagonist mepolizumab was Food and Drug Administration approved in 2017 after demonstrating safety and efficacy in EGPA. We hypothesized that benralizumab, an IL-5 receptor antagonist approved for eosinophilic asthma, would demonstrate safety and efficacy in EGPA. OBJECTIVES: To determine the safety and efficacy of benralizumab in EGPA as measured by reduction in oral corticosteroid dose and EGPA exacerbations. METHODS: We conducted a prospective 40-week open-label pilot study of benralizumab 30 mg administered subcutaneously in 10 patients with EGPA. Adverse events, oral corticosteroid dosing, exacerbations, and lung function were evaluated before, during, and after benralizumab treatment. Paired tests and tests derived from longitudinal models were used to compare outcome variables between phases or visits. RESULTS: Benralizumab was well tolerated and resulted in reduction of median corticosteroid dose from 15 mg at the start to 2 mg at the end of treatment. Geometric mean corticosteroid dose was reduced from 11.6 mg during pretreatment to 6.3 mg during treatment phase. Five patients were able to achieve a dose of 0 mg. Mean annualized exacerbation rate was lowest during the treatment (1.5) compared with the pre- and posttreatment phases (4.6, P = .008 for treatment vs pre- and postphases combined). CONCLUSIONS: Benralizumab was well tolerated, facilitated oral corticosteroid reduction, and reduced exacerbations in EGPA. Larger controlled trials are warranted to further evaluate the role of benralizumab in EGPA.
Authors: Ian D Pavord; Elisabeth H Bel; Arnaud Bourdin; Robert Chan; Joseph K Han; Oliver N Keene; Mark C Liu; Neil Martin; Alberto Papi; Florence Roufosse; Jonathan Steinfeld; Michael E Wechsler; Steven W Yancey Journal: Allergy Date: 2021-09-16 Impact factor: 14.710